"How could I have said something so stupid??"
"That was so dumb of me!! I should have known
better!"
"I will never get it right! Why am I even bothering to
try??"
"I wish I wasn't so clumsy! Why can't I be more elegant
and graceful, like Janet?"
Does any of that sound familiar to you? That was my inner
voice, several years ago. That was the voice in my head, constantly nagging,
putting myself down, wishing I was different, better, smarter, stronger, more
spiritual. Wishing I was anyone but who I am.
The most meaningful lesson I learned from being at death's
door is that unless I love myself, nothing else in my life can function at its
best. The amount of depth, meaning, and joy I experience in my life is in
direct proportion to how much love I have for myself. The amount of love,
kindness, patience I have for others is also directly proportional to how much
love, patience and kindness I have for myself, because we cannot give others
what we ourselves do not have. And, unsurprisingly, the amount of love,
respect, support, and compassion I receive from others is also in direct
proportion to how much of the same I have for myself.
Many of us are taught from a young age to "love our
neighbors as we love ourselves." But what if we don't love ourselves? What
if we are our own worst enemy, and our own harshest critic? If we treat others
as we treat ourselves, then are we judging everyone else with the same harsh
brush that we are using to paint ourselves? Is this why there are more people
on our planet obsessed with trying to condemn anyone who is different, instead
of learning to embrace everyone who shares our earth, and rejoice in our
differences?
~ Anita Moorjani ~
Author of the best selling book "Dying To be Me"
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